]]>If you read our recent piece about the Ghostbusters x Transformers mash-up toy coming out soon (and our numbers say you have, so thank you <3), then you know that ECTOTRON, the Transformers version of the Ecto-1 car from the Ghostbusters films is coming out soon. Well, some other Studio Series toys got announced today and here’s the low-down on these beauties.

Transformers: Studio Series 45 Deluxe Class Transformers: Age of Extinction Autobot Drift
(Ages 8 and Up/ Approx. Retail Price: $19.99/ Available: Aug 1, 2019)
This Studio Series 45 Deluxe Class TRANSFORMERS: Age of Extinction AUTOBOT DRIFT figure converts from robot to car mode in 26 steps. At the sight of OPTIMUS PRIME, AUTOBOT DRIFT dives gracefully off a cliff, converting midair into his helicopter mode to meet him. Remove backdrop to showcase figure in the AUTOBOT Reunion scene. Figure features vivid, movie-inspired deco and detailed accessory. Reach past the big screen and build the ultimate TRANSFORMERS collection with Studio Series figures (each sold separately), inspired by iconic movie scenes and designed with specs and details to reflect the TRANSFORMERS movie universe. Available at most major toy retailers and for Pre-order on HasbroPulse.com.

Transformers: Studio Series 44 Leader Class Transformers: Dark of the Moon Optimus Prime
(Ages 8 and Up/ Approx. Retail Price: $49.99/ Available: Aug 1, 2019)
This Studio Series 44 Leader Class OPTIMUS PRIME figure features vivid, movie-inspired deco and converts from robot to truck mode in 44 steps. In the Battle of Chicago scene from Transformers: Dark of the Moon, OPTIMUS PRIME blasts into battle, using his Jetwing tech to take out the DRILLER tearing through Chicago. Truck trailer converts into Jetwing tech to form JETWING OPTIMUS PRIME. Fans can add parts from the Studio Series 35 Leader Class JETFIRE figure (sold separately, subject to availability) to this figure to form JETPOWER OPTIMUS PRIME. Remove backdrop to showcase OPTIMUS PRIME in the Battle of Chicago scene. Reach past the big screen and build the ultimate TRANSFORMERS collection with Studio Series figures (each sold separately), inspired by iconic movie scenes and designed with specs and details to reflect the TRANSFORMERS movie universe. Available at most major toy retailers and for Pre-order on HasbroPulse.com.

Transformers: Studio Series 38 Voyager Class Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Optimus Prime
(Ages 8 and Up/ Approx. Retail Price: $29.99/ Available: Apr 1, 2019)
This 6.5-inch Studio Series 38 Voyager Class Transformers: Bumblebee OPTIMUS PRIME figure converts from robot to truck mode in 35 steps. Figure features vivid, movie-inspired deco and detailed hand blasters inspired by the film. The figure is highly articulated for posability. Remove backdrop to showcase OPTIMUS PRIME in the San Francisco Bridge scene. Figure features vivid, movie-inspired deco and a detailed blaster accessory. Reach past the big screen and build the ultimate TRANSFORMERS collection with Studio Series figures (each sold separately), inspired by iconic movie scenes and designed with specs and details to reflect the TRANSFORMERS movie universe. Available at most major toy retailers and for Pre-order on HasbroPulse.com.

Transformers Toys Studio Series 46 Deluxe Class Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Dropkick
(Ages 8 and Up/ Approx. Retail Price: $19.99/ Available: Aug 1, 2019)
This 4.5-inch Studio Series 46 Deluxe Class Transformers: Bumblebee DROPKICK figure converts from robot to car mode in 26 steps. Remove backdrop to showcase DROPKICK in the DECEPTICON Arrival scene. Figure features vivid, movie-inspired deco and detailed accessory and is highly articulated for posability. Reach past the big screen and build the ultimate TRANSFORMERS collection with Studio Series figures (each sold separately), inspired by iconic movie scenes and designed with specs and details to reflect the TRANSFORMERS movie universe. Available at most major toy retailers and for Pre-order on HasbroPulse.com.

Transformers: Studio Series 47 Deluxe Class Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Constructicon Hightower
(Ages 8 and Up/ Approx. Retail Price: $19.99/ Available: Aug 1, 2019)
This 4.5-inch Studio Series 47 Deluxe Class Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen CONSTRUCTICON HIGHTOWER figure converts from robot to vehicle mode in 19 steps. In the Pyramid Desert Battle scene from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the CONSTRUCTICON HIGHTOWER combines with 7 of his CONSTRUCTICON comrades to form the brutal DEVASTATOR combiner. This figure will be part of the left arm of DEVASTATOR as one of the 8 CONSTRUCTICON figures (each sold separately) that will build the ultimate combiner. Remove backdrop to showcase CONSTRUCTICON HIGHTOWER in the Pyramid Desert Battle scene. Figure features vivid, movie-inspired deco and detailed accessories. Reach past the big screen and build the ultimate TRANSFORMERS collection with Studio Series figures (each sold separately), inspired by iconic movie scenes and designed with specs and details to reflect the TRANSFORMERS movie universe. Available at most major toy retailers and for Pre-order on HasbroPulse.com.

Transformers: Studio Series 43 Voyager Class Transformers: Age of Extinction KSI Boss
(Ages 8 and Up/ Approx. Retail Price: $29.99/ Available: Aug 1, 2019)
This Studio Series 43 Voyager Class Transformers: Age of Extinction KSI Boss figure converts from robot to truck mode in 35 steps. Figure features vivid, movie-inspired deco and detailed hand blasters inspired by the film. The figure is highly articulated for posability. Remove backdrop to showcase KSI Boss in the Hong Kong Pursuit scene. Figure features vivid, movie-inspired deco and a detailed blaster accessory. Reach past the big screen and build the ultimate TRANSFORMERS collection with Studio Series figures (each sold separately), inspired by iconic movie scenes and designed with specs and details to reflect the TRANSFORMERS movie universe. Available at most major toy retailers and for Pre-order on HasbroPulse.com.

Fan Channel:Transformers: Generations — Transformers Collaborative: Ghostbusters Mash-Up, Ecto-1 Ectotron
(Ages 8 and Up/ Approx. Retail Price: $39.99/ Available: Jun 1, 2019)
The iconic Ecto-1 Cadillac from the 1984 Ghostbusters movie is now a TRANSFORMERS robot — a converting Paranormal Investigator, called ECTOTRON! This ECTOTRON figure comes with his own Proton Pack accessory and a Slimer accessory, and converts between a 7 inch Ecto-1 and robot modes in 22 steps. TRANSFORMERS robots have always been More the Meets the Eye, but now, through the TRANSFORMERS Collaborative, fans can experience these larger than life characters as they team-up, mash-up, and meet up with other characters, teams, and people who share this same special quality. It is a world of constant change, where things are not what they seem. It is the world of the TRANSFORMERS…and the Ghostbusters…a world of heroic AUTOBOTS and evil DECEPTICONS…and ghosts! The ECTO-1 ECTOTRON is available at GameStop summer of 2019 and for pre-order on GameStop, HasbroPulse.com and at EB Games Canada.

Transformers robots have always been More the Meets the Eye, but now, through the Transformers Collaborative, fans can experience these larger than life characters as they team-up, mash-up, and meet up with other characters, teams, and people who share this same special quality.

It is a world of constant change, where things are not what they seem. It is the world of the Transformers…and the Ghostbusters…a world of heroic Autobots and evil Decepticons…and ghosts!

Discover how these worlds collide in this Transformers-Ghostbusters mash-up pack! The iconic Ecto-1 Cadillac from the 1984 Ghostbusters movie is now a Transformers robot — a converting Paranormal Investigator, called Ectotron!

This Ectotron figure comes with his own Proton Pack accessory and a Slimer accessory, and converts between Ecto-1 and robot modes in 22 steps.

People are already asking for more crossovers with famous cars, including KITT from the “Knight Rider” TV show, which is a personal favorite of mine!

What do you think? Cool or not? If you do like it, you can pre-order it here: https://www.gamestop.com/collectibles/toys/transformers-collaborative-ghostbusters-mash-up-ghostbusters-echo-1-ectotron-figure/172040

]]>6429Bumblebee as a reboot: betting big on the future of the franchisehttp://www.autoassembly.org.uk/bumblebee-as-a-reboot-betting-big-on-the-future-of-the-franchise/
Tue, 19 Feb 2019 01:11:13 +0000http://www.autoassembly.org.uk/?p=6427Hasbro is betting big on the future of the franchise, rebooting the film universe with "Bumblebee", and releasing a Netflix-backed animated series.

]]>We must first get one thing out of the way: it was recently announced by Hasbro that “Bumblebee” would not be a prequel to the Bay movies, but rather a reboot of the franchise; you can read more about it on our dedicated news piece here. This very article, however, sparked a debate about past films by Michael Bay, how releasing “Bumblebee” during the holiday season was sportsbetting, and more.

I’ll embed the post below so you can read the replies from the community:

As you can see, people are very adamant about their love for the Transfomers films, even if they’re panned by critics. One can tell that, despite not being well-received by the film buffs, numbers don’t lie: even the “least” successful Bayverse Transformers film (The Last Knight) brought in three times its over $200-million budget. That’s a number you can take to high roller casinos every day of the week.

Why, then, has Hasbro decided to make the “Bumblebee” film a reboot, when it performed much less successfully at the box office? After all, it “only” doubled its budget at the box office, a much lower return on investment than films like “Dark of the Moon” which, at 1.12 billion dollars at the box office, made back its budget six-fold.

This is mere speculation, but I think they saw the potential. They scheduled the release of “Bumblebee” at a terribly crowded time during the holiday season, and instead of making the right move (like Alitta: Battle Angel did) and move it to sometime this year, they let it basically die on arrival.

But fans loved it. Despite the busy schedule, over $400 million isn’t something to sniff at. And really, fans of the franchise did express their love for it. So did the critics: It sits at a very healthy 93% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, overcoming the 15% fresh rating of the previous entry, “The Last Knight”, which was an all-time low for the franchise.

Yes, Hasbro is the world’s biggest toy maker. But I think they care about their intellectual property, too. And they just didn’t like where things were headed under the supervision of Michael Bay, apparently, despite box office numbers.

What does the future hold, then? It’s hard to tell. I think it’s bold to leave the Transformers Bayverse behind, but I’m hopeful that this new reboot will grow even bigger than ever. After all, a house stands stronger and taller for longer with a good foundation. And despite whether you liked or disliked the Bay films, I think we can all agree that “Bumblebee” is as good a place as any to restart and reboot something like Transformers.

PS: Let’s not forget that they have also agreed to do a new animated series following the War for Cybertron storyline with one of the most successful and beloved animation studios in the world. A good time to be a fan of Transformers, I’d say!

]]>6427Bumblebee Movie confirmed by Hasbro as franchise reboothttp://www.autoassembly.org.uk/bumblebee-movie-confirmed-by-hasbro-as-franchise-reboot/
Mon, 18 Feb 2019 01:20:00 +0000http://www.autoassembly.org.uk/?p=6409When the Bumblebee movie was announced, fans were rightfully wary. While the movie franchise had been under Michael Bay’s stewardship, it had been in steady [...]

]]>When the Bumblebee movie was announced, fans were rightfully wary. While the movie franchise had been under Michael Bay’s stewardship, it had been in steady decline for some time. Box office takings had dropped, as had ratings from the fans and critics alike. By the time of the Bumblebee spin-off, a new approach was needed. So rather than continuing in the current timeframe, the film was set in the past and a new director, Travis Knight, took the helm.

At the time, it was made clear by the studio that the Bumblebee movie was a prequel to the previous films. Despite the film being set in 1987, Peter Cullen was the only cast member to reprise his role from the previous films in the series. All of the other Autobots and Decepticons that made an appearance were recast with new voice actors. Regardless of the fact that the film was still within the BayFormers universe, fans warmed to the spin off and it became one of the most loved of the films to-date.

However, much to the delight of fans, it has now been confirmed by Hasbro that the Bumblebee movie is not a prequel. It is in fact a complete reboot of the movie franchise. This has some potentially interesting ramifications. Fans loved the G1 feel and references throughout the film, something that had been lacking in the past. There is talk right now of a second film being planned and this would certainly explain why the announcement has been made about the movie’s status. However, a new movie franchise with G1 styling certainly bodes well.

Only time will tell if this is going to mark the beginning of a new rebirth of Transformers, but it’s certainly going to be an exciting time as a movie goer.

]]>6409Netflix is bringing the War for Cybertron saga to your TV (or smart device)http://www.autoassembly.org.uk/netflix-is-bringing-the-war-for-cybertron-saga-to-your-tv-or-smart-device/
Sat, 16 Feb 2019 01:11:11 +0000http://www.autoassembly.org.uk/?p=6369Want to go back to the origin of it all? Netflix is getting some big guns out to go back to Cybertron in 2020!

]]>In a pretty exciting development for Transformers fans around the world, “Netflix” has announced that they are bringing the “War for Cybertron” saga to their streaming service as an original series in 2020. The announcement was made through their official Twitter account:

A brand-new Transformers series, War For Cybertron, will roll out on @Netflix in 2020. All-new animation style. Origin story. Autobots. Decepticons. STOKED. pic.twitter.com/aRP0A8uPeF

Funnily enough, there was no mention of this on the official Netflix media portal at the time of this writing.

The War for Cybertron was perhaps brought into the wider mainstream thanks to the games that accompanied the saga a decade ago, with the PSP ports in particular receiving wide acclaim for the graphics fidelity they were able to bring out of Sony’s first handheld console.

Also interesting is the fact that Rooster Teeth, a division of WarnerMedia, is in charge of producing the show, and Polygon Pictures will handle the animation duties. If you don’t know who Polygon Pictures are, you should: based in Japan, they have been in the animation business for over 35 years, and were in charge of the “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” animated TV series, a few “Dead or Alive” games and even a dozen feature films. That’s not a CV to sniff at.

Are you pumped to return to the place where it all begin?

Join us as we prepare for this new journey to Cybertron in the upcoming months.

]]>6369Fan of 80s Transformers PSA? Check out this film raising awareness for autismhttp://www.autoassembly.org.uk/fan-of-80s-transformers-psa-check-out-this-film-raising-awareness-for-autism/
Mon, 28 Jan 2019 22:36:25 +0000http://www.autoassembly.org.uk/?p=6096Help Aaron and his buddies finish this short film to raise awareness for autism!

]]>Hello there, fellow Transformers fans! Marcos Codas here, bringing you news of a very cool, very unique project that’s currently raising funds for post-production. Do you remember those old Public Service Announcements at the end of Transformer episodes?

﻿

Well, fellow Transfromershead Aaron Fixter and his team are in the late stages of post-production for his short PSA-type film in order to raise awareness for autism. He’s got backing from prop companies and the whole thing looks mint! Not to mention, it’s for a great cause.

Here’s some more information about the film and why they’re making it: “We are making a short film about Autism, specifically a inability to communicate using your own voice, our six year old son Sam, is severely Autistic and has not spoken a word since he arrived six years ago, We were shocked to witness one day a Woman look upon sam with disgust as he walked around a supermarket making his random sounds and screeches, the look on her face was what I can only describe as horrified and she proceeded to shake her head and move away from Sam very quickly.

As a short film maker I wanted to do a short film to educate people on different ways an Autistic person might communicate and the tools they may use, in this project the autistic child uses a system called PECS, in witch the child has a deck of cards depicting items and locations from everyday life, they simply find the picture card they want and show it to someone, this allows the Autistic child to say what they want in a visual manner.”

If that’s not a reason to unite as fans of a franchise and help each other out, I don’t know what is!

]]>6096Why Isn’t There A Bumblebee Video Game?http://www.autoassembly.org.uk/why-isnt-there-a-bumblebee-video-game/
Fri, 21 Dec 2018 12:52:34 +0000http://www.autoassembly.org.uk/?p=5440We’ve seen various Transformers video games released since 1985. Many of these have been produced as generic games to tie in with one Transformers toy [...]

]]>We’ve seen various Transformers video games released since 1985. Many of these have been produced as generic games to tie in with one Transformers toy line or another. However in recent years some have been based directly on specific TV storylines or the live action movies. The appeal of these is quite understandable. Producing a game with a major license behind it has instant market recognition and as such a ready made audience. But if that is true, where is the Bumblebee video game?

In The Beginning

As a fan, you’d initially think that G1 would be the ideal candidate to turn into a game to maximise investment for any publisher. Instead, developers have generally stuck to the current incarnations of the franchise to to try to draw sales from gamers. G1 scored well in the 80s with games for 8-bit computers from British and American developers. At the same time, half way across the globe, Nintendo owners were being treated to their own exclusive games for the Famicom (NES) and Famicom Disk System.

Beastly Goings On

As I’ve talked about elsewhere on the site while discussing video games and Transformers, things stagnated after G1. We saw nothing new released for several years until the advent of Beast Wars both in terms of games and the hardware being used to play them on. That resulted in an entire generation of consoles being overlooked before we were treated to several Beast Wars titles across the PC, PlayStation, Nintendo 64 and Gameboy Color.

A New Generation Dawned

The PlayStation 2 seemed to revive interest in G1. While Atari focused on their new game based on Transformers: Armada, more hardcore fans were interested in a G1 game that had emerged in Japan instead. While the Armada game was the better of the two, it certainly proved that there was still interest in the G1 characters. The love for G1 continued in Japan when Optimus Prime made a guest appearance in the Smash Bros. style brawler Dream Mix TV World Fighters on the Gamecube. Maybe G1 gaming wasn’t over afterall?

War For Cybertron

Probably the most popular series of games to-date, the franchise has spawned several games across most major platforms and seen toys released based on most of the main characters. While other games had been released featuring original cast members from the shows, as these did, the WFC games resonated with fans. The games were set in an expanded G1 universe and it was clear even at this stage that the key to success for a Transformers video game was to link it to G1…

The Movies

Instead we got a series of games based on all of the live action films. Regardless of what you think of the films themselves, the games are average 3D arcade action titles at best. The real problem with movie tie-in titles is that if they stick too closely to the film’s plot the story doesn’t engage with players. If they stray too far or don’t add anything to it, then it feels too detached from the source material. In the case of these games, while they had all of the action of the movies, the controls were clunky at best. The games had little of the character that we had come to love, something reflected in the movies.

A Return To G1

Things took a step in the right direction when we saw the release of Transformers: Devastation. This cel-shaded arcade action game gave G1 fans the game we’d been waiting for since the 80s. The look and feel of the cartoon with the return of the original cast. A strong storyline written by some of the top comic writers in the business. And it played like a dream. While the game may have been repetitive at times, there’s no deny just how much fun it was to play.

Why Isn’t There A Bumblebee Video Game Planned?

It’s actually surprising that there’s nothing planned for Bumblebee. However, there wasn’t a game released to tie-in with the last movie either so maybe developers were cautious about the film’s success. At this stage, it’s probably too late for the license to be acquired for a major AAA release. The extensive work that would need to be done to bring a game to market just wouldn’t make it viable. Looking now at the film’s critical success it’s a decision that’s probably being regretted. But thinking logically would it have made such a good game?

Would Bumblebee have translated into a generic multi-stage arcade action title as with most movie games? I don’t see how a game could move too much away from a few tried and tested gameplay elements. So we’d expect plenty of vehicle and robot combat mechanics, an obligatory driving section and possibly sections with other characters. But truthfully we’ve seen the same with other Transformers games and is it what we deserve for such a great movie?

So What Can We Expect For Bumblebee?

As it’s clear that we won’t get a AAA game to celebrate the release of Bumblebee, we have to look to see what else might be possible. There’s a new mobile game from Budge Studios – Transformers Bumblebee Overdrive which is a top-down racer/shoot-em-up hybrid. The G1 game has already received great reviews from those who have downloaded it and we’ll review that in greater depth shortly. As for the live action movie. Well, the best we can hope for is either a new mobile game. Alternatively as we’ve seen with G1 and the War For Cybertron saga, an online slots game as many of the casinos offering online slots bonuses have featured Transformers games in the past.

The Future

With no new games on the horizon we should look to the rich history that Transformers has given us. We’ve had an incredible selection of video games in the past with some real gems amongst them. While the movie games have been lacklustre, this has been made up for by Devastation, WFC, and the Transformers Animated game for the Nintendo DS. There’s plenty of great gaming out there across most platforms to keep us entertained while we wait for something to be released linking in with the current aspects of the franchise.

We know what our favourites are but what are yours? Is there anything you’d like to see from a possible Bumblebee game? Let us know in the comments.

]]>5440Why Do We Obsess Over The Value Of Collections?http://www.autoassembly.org.uk/why-do-we-obsess-over-the-value-of-collections/
Fri, 21 Dec 2018 01:27:51 +0000http://www.autoassembly.org.uk/?p=5437Over the years I’ve noticed one things about toy collecting. There seems to be two main types of fans when it comes to their basic [...]

]]>Over the years I’ve noticed one things about toy collecting. There seems to be two main types of fans when it comes to their basic approach to how they actually keep them. Many are quite happy to free their toys from their plastic prisons. But for others this seems to be an abhorrent idea. For them, their collections need to stay sealed and in pristine condition. One thing that does seem consistent for all collectors is a desire to know the value of collections they have amassed.

Does that really matter though? And why are people apparently obsessed with putting a price tag on the things they own?

We Are Not Alone

It’s not something exclusive to the Transformers community. Star Wars and Star Trek fans alike build up vast figure collections yet keep them sealed on their blister cards. I’d wager that the majority of Pop figures have never seen life outside of their packaging. Hell, no UK casino sites would take a bet against something like that! And although the video games community seems to be more divisive, it still happens there too. There are some retro games collectors who spend years specifically hunting sealed games although personally I find this somewhat bizarre.

Why Do We Open Things?

With Transformers this is a simple question to answer. They’re toys. We’re all big kids at heart and even though most will end up on display on shelves we still have fun transforming them. Even when we’re not taking them down and changing their form repeatedly, displays of robots simply look great.

Leaving toys sealed or in their boxes seems strange. As a product intended for children (as much as we hate to admit it) they were never intended to remain sealed. When we were younger we eagerly ripped open the boxes to play with these toys. At conventions we’re often opening our latest purchases amongst friends so the packaging is obviously something that doesn’t matter to most there.

Video Games

I’ve amassed an extensive collection of Transformers video games over the years. As with those who are passionate about retro gaming, I’ve put a lot of time and effort in to this. But I’ve generally passed up on sealed titles. Again I see this as the same as toys. Games are meant to be played. If they’re sealed, we can’t and it makes no sense. We can look at the boxes but very little else.

Why Keep Items Sealed?

So in contrast, why do some people keep items sealed? There could be a number of reasons. For some, there is the appeal of having a tidy, uniform look to a display. A neat, museum-like showcase of their collections. For others it’s a more serious reason… they view their collection as a long term investment and plan to sell up in the future.

Why We Need The Value Of Collections

To be honest for the most part we don’t. More often than not it’s just used by collectors for bragging rights. It’s nothing new and stems back to playground rivalries. We’ve always had an ingrained instinct to be “better” than those we perceive as being our challengers. Photographic posts of collections, convention hauls and so on are all extensions of this posturing. Adding the value of collections to this mix just adds an extra dimension.

The harsh reality however is that we only really need to know that information for two reasons. First is the obvious one which is if we ever sell all or part of our collections on. One a more serious note, for those of us with sizeable collections (of anything geek related), we should really have them catalogued and valued and included as part of our house insurance.

So How Do We Get The Value Of Collections We Own?

There’s no simple answer as everyone’s collection is different. What doesn’t help is that prices are in a constant state of flux. They vary depending on popularity, market demand and even public interest in Transformers. And that’s before we even look at the condition and rarity!

With such a fluid market, the only real way to attempt to put a price on our collections should we ever want to is through research. Items that are still readily available at retail are easy enough to gauge, simply working on the RRP. Anything collectible and we have to look at the second hand market. Auction websites, online selling groups, traders at collectors fairs… They’re all a reliable source to get an average price of what they have sold for but look for comparable items based on the condition of what you own.

So Should I Check?

You may surprise yourself when it comes to checking your own collections. For those of you with vast quantities of toys it’s worth doing to make sure you’re properly insured anyway. And if you don’t have proper records of what you own, maybe now’s the time to start…

]]>5437Transformers Love Keeps Growinghttp://www.autoassembly.org.uk/transformers-love-keeps-growing/
Thu, 20 Dec 2018 10:15:05 +0000http://www.autoassembly.org.uk/?p=5457I’m 35 years old and my love for Transformers is at an all time high. I feel myself contemplating this and I have to ask [...]

]]>I’m 35 years old and my love for Transformers is at an all time high.
I feel myself contemplating this and I have to ask myself why. Something that was entertainment for me as a young boy keeps growing in my heart and mind.

Perhaps because it’s grown to be more than simply entertainment for me. As a boy, I loved the show, I loved the toys and I would routinely play transformers in the playground at school, and on the carpet at home. I’d watch my transformers VHS’s over and over and never get bored of them. I marvelled at how the story and tone of the show would change following the events of Transformers The Movie.
Inevitably I went through a stage where I stopped playing with toys, and stopped watching cartoons. But the love for Transformers never left me. Occasionally I’d get a Transformers VHS out and watch it for nostalgia.
As I entered working life, I remember discussing childhood loves with some of my colleagues and I ended up inviting them over to watch Transformers the Movie. We had a great time. Over time I’d pick up the DVD’s as they were released and enjoy filling in the blanks by watching episodes I had never seen. It felt great to complete part of a childhood journey that I didn’t know needed completing. Over time I became friends with people who grew up with a similar love and enjoyment for Transformers. Little did I know that this was helping a seed that was already blooming in me to grow further. One of my best friends today, I met at a job we used to do together where there was no formal dress code unless we had visits from important clients. We got talking because I was wearing an Autobot logo T-Shirt, we bonded over our love of Transformers and have never looked back.
While many people do everything they can to slow down the aging process, one of the great things about it is you learn to accept yourself as who you are and not worry about what others think about your hobbies. As time went on, I knew that Transformers was as much a part of my adulthood as it was my childhood. The arrival of the Masterpiece line made it acceptable for me, at least in my own mind, to start buying toys again. Only these weren’t merely toys, they were simultaneously pieces of art and stunning representations of a connection to those fond childhood memories.
And then there were the live action movies, suddenly Transformers was thrust into the forefront of many people who had and hadn’t appreciated them before. Regardless of how you feel about them, I loved that Transformers were on the big screen and that it was no longer confined to a cartoon I used to watch, I could discuss it with more people and it seemed to spark a resurgence of popularity and awareness of the brand.
Attending Transformers conventions has allowed me to meet some amazing people that I’m privileged and proud to call my friends, people I love to spend time with and speak to most days, not just about Transformers but all the normal things that friends do.
I love that at Transformers events, there seems to be more and more females attending. It shows that the community is all inclusive and not just limited to boys who like to play with toys. It shows that Transformers has something to offer to everyone. I love how people who come to know transformers through modern versions of it inevitably find themselves investigating the original source material that captivated me all those years ago, and inevitably loving it too.
Having recently seen “Bumblebee” on the big screen, I’m amazed at how despite the many attempts to “modernise” transformers, there are continuously calls to bring it back closer to the original 80’s style. There was obviously something that they got really right the first time that people want more of. Those calls are being heard and acted upon and I believe Transformers has an exciting future ahead and that we may see more stories that are true to the G1 Transformers that we know and love.
There are various intangible parts of Transformers that also affect my life. While I’ve been thinking about writing this for a while, I felt inspired to do it today because when I woke up this morning I felt fatigued and like I could really do with a holiday. After getting out of bed I put on “The Touch” and after listening to it I felt invigorated, recharged and inspired! Not only does that song have an incredibly uplifting tone, the lyrics themselves are inspiring and motivating. How can you not love that? A song that was part of a great soundtrack to an amazingly made animated movie in the 80’s which has an even more positive impact in my life today!
As I read back over these words I become aware that they still don’t adequately describe my love and enjoyment for Transformers and also perhaps don’t convey the community growth that has occurred, I haven’t even touched on other areas such as the YouTube community that has evolved. But nevertheless, I hope this has made you think about your own Transformers journey and what it means to you. If you feel you want to, share some comments on your own Transformers Journey and what it all means to you.
‘Til all are one.

]]>5457Watching: First ever episode of “Transformers for the first time in 25 yearshttp://www.autoassembly.org.uk/watching-first-ever-episode-of-transformers-for-the-first-time-in-25-years/
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 22:41:11 +0000http://www.autoassembly.org.uk/?p=5419Come with me on a ride 25 years in the making! Let's watch the first-ever episode of "Transformers", for the first time in 25 years!

]]>Well, it needed to happen! While I’m 32 years old (so, the “prime” -hehe- age to be “Transformers” fan), I haven’t really immersed myself in the cartoons since I watched them when I was a kid. I re-entered the franchise with the “War for Cybertron” games on the PSP, and then the Bayverse (which, as I mentioned before, I enjoyed). So I put my online casino bonuses to the side for a bit, and re-watched the absolute classic that is the very first episode of “Transformers” ever aired. What follows is a real-time commentary of my experience!

Intro: Wow, the sound mixing hasn’t aged well. I wonder if it’s just the copy that I’m watching? The song is super catchy, though!

Start of episode: This is much more political than I remember. I knew there were factions, of course, but I didn’t remember the whole thing was a war over energy resources. Considering this was made shortly after the oil crash of the 70s, it feels very timely now, too.

First appearance of Bumblebee: Hey! I barely recognized him!

First appearance of Optimus Prime: He’s not as tall as I remembered. Or, should I say, not much taller than other Autobots.

First appearance of Megatron, Starscream and Shockwave: Well, I’m sorry (not sorry, but maybe surprised?) to say that I’m finding the baddies much more interesting. The power struggle between Starscream and Megatron is already a fantastic storyline, and Shockwave is set up as a fearsome first lieutenant.

Decepticons board the Autobot Ark: There’s a lot of pushing and shoving going on. I wonder how much of this was inspired by “A New Hope”? I thought the fight would have been much more technology-based.

Four million years later: NICE! That’s awesome! I had no idea that the Decepticons woke up first. A bit ironic, too, that it was the Autobot Ark that repaired the Decepticons.

Starscream: Wow, this guy is really set in his goal of taking over. I guess that’s what you get when you are with the bad guys… no respect for leadership.

New Decepticon base: These guys work FAST! base is looking good, too. I’ll get them to build me a house if I’m ever in the market.

Hound down: Way to go, Cliffjumper. “You couldn’t hit an Autobot with a Moonbeam!” – Definitely Star Wars things going on here. Either that or a Pokemon reference 20-odd years before that franchise was born. Also, Cliffjumper’s “attack gas” that comes out of his backpipe and is strong enough to make a missile explode? We all have a friend with that kind of firepower, am I right?

Reflector: My favorite “Transformer” yet? I mean, I thought *my* camera was cool! This is a mixture of DSLR quality and Polaroid convenience! Neat.

Let’s roll: Ok, that was super, super cool. Prime looks HUGE now. Much more like the image I always had of him growing up.

The Rig: This scene already sets up the Decepticons as tremendously menacing to helpless humans. I love it. It’s very well done.

The cubes: The idea of compressing oil to form a denser, better form of energy is pretty damn brilliant.

Autobots arrive: Again with the wrestling and pushing and shoving? The fights between Megatron and Prime have not been great this episode.

I can’t lift it: Prime seems far, far less powerful than Megatron. Was it always like this? I guess I’ll have to find out by watching more episodes!

Well, that about wraps it up! It’s definitely a much deeper experience than I remember, and that I gave it credit for. I think fans were right in getting upset at the Bayverse; it was not representative of the depth of even this first episode. I can’t imagine how much better the series gets, and just how much bigger the gap gets between what was set up by the source material and what ended up being shown on the first few “Transformers” films. Definitely more to the cartoon than meets the eye.